Window shade

ABSTRACT

A window shade having a transversely symmetrical design. By a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;transversely symmetrical design&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; is meant a design that extends across the shade either in the form of a scalloped or otherwise configurated lower edge, or in the form of an overall print so that the two edgewise areas of the design are the same. The disclosure is concerned primarily with a window shade roller of the type set forth that is adapted to be shortened quickly and easily by first cutting and removing equal widths of shade material from both ends of the roller, in order to preserve the symmetry of design, and second, telescoping the roller to bring the respective ends of the roller into proper relationship with the newly cut edges of the shade.

United States Patent Inventors Robert C. Gosling Cincinnati, Ohio;George Armstrong, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia Appl. No. 882,055 Filed Dec.4, 1969 Patented May 25, 1971 Assignee said Gossling Clopay CorporationCincinnati, Ohio WINDOW SHADE 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 160/263, 160/323 Int. Cl A47g 5/02, A47h 1/022 Field of Search160/250, 263, 323 326 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,359,62211/1920 Ross 160/263 Primary Examiner-Peter M. Caun Attorney-Wood,Herron & Evans ABSTRACT: A window shade having a transverselysymmetrical design. By a transversely symmetrical design is meant adesign that extends across the shade either in the form of a scallopedor otherwise configurated lower edge, or in the form of an overall printso that the two edgewise areas of the design are the same. Thedisclosure is concerned primarily with a window shade roller of the typeset forth that is adapted to be shortened quickly and easily by firstcutting and removing equal widths of shade material from both ends ofthe roller, in order to preserve the symmetry of design, and second,telescoping the roller to bring the respective ends of the roller intoproper relationship with the newly cut edges of the shade,

PATENTEU HAY25 SHEET 1 BF 2 PATENTEU HAY25 19m SHEET 2 OF 2 Vivi/vi)WINDOW SHADE This invention relates to rollup window shades of thegeneral type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,203,468 and 3,299,944. Theseshades have rollers that are made in two sections, one of which may betelescoped into the other. The objective is to minimize the workinvolved in reducing the width of a shade to fit a window of aparticular size. As disclosed, the rolled up shade material at one endof the roller may be cut through to the roller and then slid off the endof the roller leaving a projecting end of one of the telescopingsections. Thereafter, the roller itself is shortened by pushing theprojecting roller section back into the other section. The point isthat, as a practical matter, one edgewise area only of the shadematerial may be so removed.

The present invention is addressed primarily to the problem posed by awindow shade having a transversely symmetrical design wherein theremoval of one edgewise area only of the shade material would in mostinstances destroy the symmetry of design. More specifically, theinvention is directed to a shade construction that may be reduced insize quickly and easily by removing equal widths of shade material fromboth edgewise areas of the shade, thereby preserving symmetry of design,with provision being made to telescope both sections of the roller backinto the shade.

Although the shade construction of this invention is best suited foroperations wherein shade material is cut and removed from both ends of aroller, as will be seen, it has equal utility wherein it is desired toremove shade material from one end of the roller only, and at either endwith equal facility.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view illustrating the components of a preferredshade construction incorporating the principals of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an assembled shade;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing shade material removed fromone end of the shade;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing shade material removed fromthe opposite end of the shade; and

FIG. Sis a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified form of theinvention.

For the purposes of this disclosure the phrase window shade" includesthe entire assembly of shade roller, the components associated with it,and the sheet of window shade material that is attached to the roller.The window shade of this invention has many of the advantages from acommercial point of view that are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,468,the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The components of the preferred embodiment of the present invention areillustrated in FIG. 1. At the top of this figure there is shown a shaderoller that is made in two telescoping sections. One of these, a tubularfirst roller section, is designated 11, and the other, a second rollersection, is designated 12. The tubular first roller section 11preferably is made of sheet metal and it includes the usual springmotor, not shown. The second roller section 12 may comprise a woodendowel that fits snugly into the open end of the tubular first rollersection 11. Two elongated dimples 13-13 are formed in the wall of thetubular first roller section 11, these dimples are friction elements,biting into the wood dowel comprising second roller section 12.Obviously, other materials may be used for the second roller section. Inaddition, if desired, the second roller section 12 may have the springmotor mounted within it.

A first tube 14 of readily cuttable material such as paper or plastic isprovided that is adapted to slide over the second roller section and itis of a length to abut the one end of the first roller section 11 andextend to the adjacent end cap 15 for the roller. This end of the rolleralso carries a conventional gudgeon pin 16 whereas the opposite end ofthe roller has the usual flat spear 17 by which the assembly may bemounted in conventional window shade brackets. The elements described tothis point are identical to their counterparts in U.S. Pat. No.3,203,468.

With first tube 14 in place on the second roller section 12, thesubassembly thus formed is of the same diameter throughout its length,excepting the end caps of the roller. In the instance shown, threerubber bands 18 are provided. There rubber bands are engaged around thefirst roller section 11 in spaced relation along its length. The rubberbands are of a diameter such that they tend to grip the outer surface ofthe first roller section when in place upon it. There is also provided asecond tube 19 of readily cuttable material such as paper, lightcardboard, plastic or the like. One end of second tube 19 is serratedlongitudinally as shown at 20 for reasons to be explained later. Inassembling the components described to this point, the first tube 14 isslipped over the exposed end of second roller section 12, the rubberbands 18 placed on first roller section 11, and second tube 19 slid intoplace such that it surrounds and is coextensive with first rollersection 11 and first tube 14. In this assembly the rubber bands 18 areinterposed between the inner surface of second tube 19 and the outersurface of first roller section 11. In making this assembly the secondtube is slipped into place starting over end cap 15. When the secondtube encounters the rubber bands 18 they are caused to roll along firstroller section 11, the rubber bands being displaced longitudinally ofthe assembly by an amount equal to one-half of the distance of travel ofsecond tube 19 as it is being moved into place on first roller section11. Thus the rubber bands are placed initially with this shift in mind.

An important consideration of this invention is that the rubber bandsprovide a means of permitting relative longitudinal shifting movementbetween second tube 11 and the subassembly which it encloses while, forall practical purposes, preventing any relative rotational movementbetween second tube 19 and said subassembly.

A typical shade is shown fragmentarily only in FIG. 1 designatedgenerally by the numeral 21. As shown, this shade has a transverselysymmetrical design in the form of a sealloped lower edge 22. The loweredge 22, as shown, may have decorative fringe 23 on it. For a shadeconstruction of this type the usual slat pocket, shown here at 24, isformed to extend across the shade a slight distance above the scallopedlower edge. The usual wooden slat (not shown) is carried within pocket24. a

. The upper end of shade 21 has a line of adhesive 25 on it by means ofwhich the shade may be attached to second tube 19. Thus, the onlyattachment of the shade to the roller assembly is on second tube 19.

Ina typical shade cutting operation, the rolled up shade, with thewooden slat removed from pocket 24, is chucked in a horizontal positionand rotated against a circular knife, the knife itself being movablesuch that is cuts down through the shade material. It makes littledifference which end of the shade is cut first, although as shown in thedrawings it is the left end. In this operation the knife passes downthrough the material of shade 21 and on through second tube 19 to theouter surface of first roller section 11. In most instances, an end cap26 at the motor end of the window shade is employed that is slightlylarger in diameter that first roller section 11, and in order to removethe free end of second tube 19 and the roll of shade material wound onit, a pointed instrument may be used to split the serrations 20 at thisend of second tube 19 so that the freed end of the tube may be slippedfrom the end of the roller over end cap 26.

The first cutting operation leaves a projecting end of the first rollersection 11 as shown by the dot-dash lines 27 in FIG. 3. Also shown inthis figure is the rolled up, waste cut end 28 of shade material woundaround the cut end 29 of second tube 19. The split in the cut end ofsecond tube 19 permitted by serrations 20 is shown at 30.

The next cutting operation is at the opposite or right end of the windowshade as shown in FIG. 3, the out being made along the line 31. In thiscase, the cut is made down through the shade material and through firsttube 14. Thereafter, the rolled up waste shown at 32 may be slipped offthe end of the roller over cap which, in this instance, is equal indiameter to the second roller section 12 so that serrations of the typeshown at are not necessary in this end of second tube 19. Obviously, ifa larger end cap is employed serrations 20 may be duplicated at this endof second tube 19 and in the first tube 14, if desired.

As shown in FIG. 3, the projecting end 27 of the roller is pushed intothe freshly cut end of window shade material. In so doing, there isrelative longitudinal movement between first roller section 11 andsecond tube 19, this movement being permitted by the rolling of therubber bands 19 interposed between first roller section 11 and secondtube 19. Such movement causes the opposite end of the roller to projectas shown at 33 at the right of FIG. 3. Once the scrap end shown at 32 ofthe cut shade material is removed from the shade roller, the projectingend shown by the dot-dash lines 34 in FIG. 4 of second roller section 12may be pushed back into the window shade to bring end cap 15 into itsproper relation with the freshly cut edge of the shade. in thismovement, the second roller section 12 telescopes within the firstroller section 11.

This invention permits the removal of equal amounts of shade materialfrom opposite ends of the window shade in order to preserve the overallsymmetry of the design in the scalloped lower edge of the shade itself.The symmetry of other designs may be preserved in the same way. It willbe apparent, however, that the shortening operation may be made bycutting material from one end, i.e. either end, only of the windowshade, when preserving design symmetry is not required. a I

Although preferred, it is not necessary to utilize first tube 14 in thefinished assembly and this type of shade construction is shown in FIG.5. In this case, a cutting operation may proceed as described abovewherein it is desired to preserve design symmetry. if one end only is tobe cut, and it makes no difference which end, shortening of the rolleritself is a result of telescoping the second roller section 12 into thefirst roller section 11; whereas the relative shifting movement, tobring the two end caps into their proper positions with respect to therolled up shade, is a result of the rolling movement permitted by therubber bands 18.

It will be apparent that means other than the rubber bands 18 may beemployed so long as the means has the characteristic of permittingrelative longitudinal shifting movement between first roller section 11and second tube 19 while preventing relative rotational movement betweenthese two parts.

We claim:

1. in a window shade and roller combination wherein the shade is ofreadily cuttable material and is characterized by having a transverselysymmetrical design thereon, the improvement to permit shortening of theoverall length of the combination while preserving the symmetry of thedesign which comprises;

a first roller section, said first roller section being tubular;

a second roller section, said second roller section having one endthereof telescopingly seated within said first section and a substantialportion thereof projecting axially from said first section;

a tube of readily cuttable material coextensive with and surroundingboth of said roller sections;

adhesive means securing the upper end of said window shade to said tube;and

friction means interposed between said tube and said first rollersection, said friction means characterized in permitting longitudinaltelescoping movement but resisting relative rotative movement betweensaid tube and said first roller section, whereby the cutting of saidshade and said tube in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of saidroller at one end of said combination frees and end part of said shadeandsaid tube to permit removal thereof and the similar cutting of anequal end part of said shade and said tube at the opposite end of saidcombination permits removal thereof, whereupon the first roller sectionmay be telescoped into said tube and said second section may betelescoped into said first section.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said friction meanscomprises at least one rubber band seated on and extendingcircumferentially around said first roller section.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said tube isserrated longitudinally in the outer endwise portion thereof at said oneend of said combination.

4. in a window shade and roller combination wherein the shade is ofeasily cuttable material and characterized by having a transverselysymmetrical design, the improvement to permit shortening of the overalllength of the combination while preserving the symmetry of the designwhich comprises;

a first roller section, said first roller section being tubular;

a second roller section, said second section having one end thereoftelescopingly seated within said first section and a substantial portionthereof projecting from said first section;

a first tube of readily cuttable material having an outside diameterapproximately equal to the outside diameter of said first section and aninside diameter of a size to permit free-sliding movement between theinside of said first tube and said first section;

said first tube surrounding said projecting portion of said secondsection and having one end thereof abutting the end of said firstsection;

a second tube of readily cuttable material coextensive with andsurrounding said roller sections, including said first tube;

adhesive means securing the upper end of said window shade to saidsecond tube;

friction means interposed between said second tube and said first rollersection, said friction means characterized in permitting relativelongitudinal telescoping movement but resisting relative rotativemovement between said second tube and said first roller section; and

whereby upon the cutting and removal of an end part of said shade and ofsaid second tube at the one end of said roller the roller may betelescoped into said second tube and whereby the cutting of an equal endpart of said shade and said second tube and said first tube at theopposite end of said roller, the second roller section may be telescopedinto said first roller section.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 in which said friction meanscomprises at least one rubber band seated on and extendingcircumferentially around said first roller section.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 4 in which said second tube isserrated longitudinally in the outer endwise portion thereof at said oneend of said roller.

1. In a window shade and roller combination wherein the shade is ofreadily cuttable material and is characterized by having a transverselysymmetrical design thereon, the improvement to permit shortening of theoverall length of the combination while preserving the symmetry of thedesign which comprises; a first roller section, said first rollersection being tubular; a second roller section, said second rollersection having one end thereof telescopingly seated within said firstsection and a substantial portion thereof projecting axially from saidfirst section; a tube of readily cuttable material coextensive with andsurrounding both of said roller sections; adhesive means securing theupper end of said window shade to said tube; and friction meansinterposed between said tube and said first roller section, saidfriction means characterized in permitting longitudinal telescopingmovement but resisting relative rotative movement between said tube andsaid first roller section, whereby the cutting of said shade and saidtube in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of said roller at oneend of said combination frees and end part of said shade and said tubeto permit removal thereof and the similar cutting of an equal end partof said shade and said tube at the opposite end of said combinationpermits removal thereof, whereupon the first roller section may betelescoped into said tube and said second section may be telescoped intosaid first section.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in whichsaid friction means comprises at least one rubber band seated on andextending circumferentially around said first roller section.
 3. Thecombination as set forth in claim 1 in which said tube is serratedlongitudinally in the outer endwise portion thereof at said one end ofsaid combination.
 4. In a window shade and roller combination whereinthe shade is of easily cuttable material and characterized by having atransversely symmetrical design, the improvement to permit shortening ofthe overall length of the combination while preserving the symmetry ofthe design which comprises; a first roller section, said first rollersection being tubular; a second roller section, said second sectionhaving one end thereof telescopingly seated within said first sectionand a substantial portion thereof projecting from said first section; afirst tube of readily cuttable material having an outside diameterapproximately equal to the outside diameter of said first section and aninside diameter of a size to permit free-sliding movement between theinside of said first tube and said first section; said first tubesurrounding said projecting portion of said second section and havingone end thereof abutting the end of said first section; a second tube ofreadily cuttable material coextensive with and surrounding said rollersections, including said first tube; adhesive means securing the upperend of said window shade to said second tube; friction means interposedbetween said second tube and said first roller section, said frictionmeans characterized in permitting relative longitudinal telescopingmovement but resisting relative rotative movement between said secondtube and said first roller section; and whereby upon the cutting andremoval of an end part of said shade and of said second tube at the oneend of said roller the roller may be telescoped into said second tubeand whereby the cutting of an equal end part of sAid shade and saidsecond tube and said first tube at the opposite end of said roller, thesecond roller section may be telescoped into said first roller section.5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 in which said friction meanscomprises at least one rubber band seated on and extendingcircumferentially around said first roller section.
 6. The combinationas set forth in claim 4 in which said second tube is serratedlongitudinally in the outer endwise portion thereof at said one end ofsaid roller.